Belmont Elementary Newsletter - August 15

Principal, Rachel DeKuiper

6097 Belmont Ave NE

Belmont, MI 49306

616.863.6362

Dear Belmont Families,

It's the final countdown! We are enjoying every minute of getting Belmont ready for Open House and the First Day of School! We look forward to partnering with you during the 25/26 school year and appreciate your support!

Last year, Belmont was one of four schools at RPS to explore a "Multi-Tiered System of Support for Behavior" (MTSS-B). This year, we are planning to expand this system district-wide. We will utilize the RAMS acronym (Respectful, Accountable, Motivated, Safe) at all of our elementary schools to guide us when teaching behavior expectations.

You will have the opportunity to see how we are applying RAMS to different locations throughout our school at Open House on Wednesday, August 20!

Please let us know if you have any questions! Enjoy what's left of summer and see you next Wednesday!

With gratitude,

Rachel DeKuiper, Principal

rmdekuiper@rockfordschools.org

616.863.6362

Class placement lists - August 15

Class lists will be available for viewing on Family Access starting at 8 am on Friday, August 15. You will likely receive communication from your child's teacher shortly thereafter. Please know that a great deal of thought is put into class placement each year. We are blessed with amazing teachers and support staff who care deeply about your child. We appreciate you trusting us with this process. Thank you!

First Day of School - August 25, 2025

Our first day of school is Monday, August 25. Students can be dropped off starting at 8:25 am with school officially starting at 8:35 am. If your child will be riding the bus to and from school, be sure to check Family Access for pick-up and drop-off times. Please note, these times might change slightly between now and the first day of school. It is advised to check Family Access again on August 24 for the most up-to-date information.

School will officially dismiss for the day at 3:35. Please use the form linked below if you plan to pick up your child from school so that we can plan accordingly. Thank you!!

Parent/Family Pick Up Form

Classroom supply lists

Classroom supply lists are posted on the RPS district website. If you have any questions or would like to request assistance with the recommended supplies, please let us know.

Thanks again for all you do to support students and learning!

Belmont Classroom Supply Lists Link

Belmont Teachers

We are excited to have both new and returning teachers at Belmont Elementary!

Kindergarten: Mrs. Guy and Mrs. Stevenson

1st Grade: Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Murdock

2nd Grade: Mrs. Bair and Ms. Lobdell

3rd Grade: Mrs. Bates and Mrs. Westveer

4th Grade: Ms. Humphreys and Mrs. Walla

5th Grade: Mrs. Bisher and Mr. Linsley

Resource Room: Ms. Sweigart

Art: Mrs. Brown

Music: Mrs. VerMerris

PE: Mr. Banta

STEAM: Mrs. Priem

Stay tuned for a list of itinerant and support staff coming soon...

Belmont PTO Shines Bright

Are you looking for a way to give back to the community AND advertise for your business? Belmont Elementary School is looking for sponsors for the 2025-2026 school year.

We offer various sponsorship levels with options to have banners hung along our Jupiter Road fence, as well as the fence that faces our drop-off/pick-up line.

If you’re interested in this amazing opportunity, please feel free to email Belmont6097@gmail.com for additional information! We appreciate your support and thank you for helping us SHINE BRIGHT!

Belmont Elementary Facebook Page

Transportation and busing

Transportation sent out messages through Family Access about how to sign up for busing. If you missed the August 8 deadline, please call the transportation office at 616-863-6328 or e-mail the director of transportation, Matt Puett, at mpuett@rockfordschools.org. Transportation is more than happy to help your child(ren) get assigned to their bus.

Transportation is hoping to have bus routes finalized by Friday, August 22. Because of this, please reach out to them by Thursday, August 21, to get your child(ren) assigned a bus.

Transportation is also encouraging RPS families to get the My Ride app on their phones. For more information on this, please click on the RPS Tranporttation link below.

RPS Transportation

Jovie, Belmont's Counseling Dog

Jovie is our counseling dog at Belmont. We are excited that our students have the opportunity to interact and be supported by Jovie throughout the school year. Mrs. Kaminski, our social worker, is Jovie's handler. They work together to support the social-emotional and mental health needs of our students. Jovie has been loved by the students at Belmont for the past few years and is looking forward to working with students again this school year. If your child has a fear or allergy to dogs, please don’t hesitate to contact us regarding your child’s needs. We will ensure that appropriate accommodations are in place to support your child.

Upcoming Events:

August 15 - Class Placements Posted on Family Access

August 20 - Open House - We can't wait to see you!

5:30-6:30 Kindergarten Open House

6:00-7:00 1st-5th Grade Open House

August 25 - First Day of School!

August 29 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day Weekend

September 1 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

September 10 - Early Release Day

September 15 - Shine Bright Kickoff Assembly for Students

September 22 - School Picture Day!

September 24 - Early Release Day

Open House - Wednesday, August 20

We are beyond excited to have students back in the hallways at Belmont Elementary! Hopefully, your children are as excited as we are!

Please join us for our Open House on Wednesday, August 20. Teachers and staff will be available to meet families that evening. Kindergarten classrooms will be open from 5:30-6:30 pm and 1st - 5th grade classrooms from 6-7 pm. Students can tour the school, play on the playground, visit with friends, and participate in a fun search and learn activity.

Student Verification

All verification and acknowledgment will take place in FAMILY ACCESS. You can find a link to RPS Family Access on our district website. The process is similar to last year; however, the materials have been updated to support student learning for the 2025-2026 school year.

The steps for completing the verification process for your child are as follows:

Log in to Family Access.
Click on the "Go to Information Verification for your son/daughter."
Please complete the steps in order, as listed on the right-hand side of your screen. (Note that fields in grey can only be edited at the school building with proper documentation.) Please select the appropriate drop-down items for each screen. Each step requires you to select "I have completed this step" at the bottom of the screen to finalize your information.
When completing the School Participation step, click on the link called "School Participation", click "yes" on the pop-up window to complete this step. Enter the proper information and click "Save" in the upper right-hand corner.
Once all steps have been completed, the final step allows you to submit the information. (THIS IS KEY TO FINALIZING VERIFICATION.) Once finalized, you will receive an email verification of enrollment. If you do not receive an email, please go back into FAMILY ACCESS to review any missing steps/information.

Note: We highly encourage all families to set up a FA account as it is the district’s main source of communication to parents. Please visit our website at www.rockfordschools.org & click on the Family Access link (upper right-hand side), or please feel free to contact the main office of your student's school for additional assistance.

School Nurse Update - Student Health

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome (almost) to a new school year! We hope you have had a wonderful summer. As the District Nurses, our priority is to support your child’s health and safety at school so they can learn and thrive.

If your child(ren) has a medical condition—such as asthma, allergies, diabetes, seizures, or any other health need—please update the school with:

Current medical information and emergency contacts
Any required Medical Action Plan (Asthma, Allergy, Seizure)
Updated Medication Authorization Form
Necessary medications or supplies for use during the school day

These items help us respond quickly and appropriately to your child’s needs and ensure staff are prepared to provide safe care. Required forms must be updated each school year and can be located on the Rockford Public Schools website under Nursing Services. Forms and supplies can be dropped off to your student's school building during open house.

If your child’s condition has changed since last school year, please notify us as soon as possible. We look forward to partnering with you to keep your child healthy and ready to learn.

Wishing you and your family a great start to the school year,

Kelly Theaker and Jennifer Collins, District Nurses

Free Breakfast and Lunch at Belmont

As you may be aware, the state budget that funds Michigan Meals is not yet finalized. We are hopeful that we will know the funding status of this program by October 1st.

RPS will be providing free breakfast and lunch through September 30th, but there is uncertainty about whether free meals will continue after this date.

Students who do not qualify for free or reduced meals may be charged for breakfast and lunch starting on October 1 if the Michigan Meals budget is not approved. Because of this, families are encouraged to fill out the Education and Meals Benefits application linked below.

RPS Food Service Link

Outdoor Classroom Ribbon Cutting - July 31

We had a great turnout for our Outdoor Classroom Ribbon Cutting! Thank you to all those who joined us that evening, and to both the Rockford Education Foundation and Belmont PTO for their support! We look forward to learning outside this year!